The invention relates to decanting apparatus in general, and more particularly to improvements in apparatus for transferring flowable substances (especially liquids) from first vessels into second vessels. Still more particularly, the invention relates to improvements in apparatus which can be utilized with advantage for decanting of red wines, port wines or other sediment-containing liquids from jugs, bottles or other containers into carafes or into other types of vessels.
When certain red wines are stored in bottles for extended periods of time, at least some sediments or dregs are bound to accumulate at the bottom of the bottle. It is desirable to pour such wines into glasses or into a carafe with retention of accumulated sediments in the bottle. Such decanting of wines into glasses or carafes requires concentration, a certain amount of skill, strong (steady) hands and patience.
In accordance with a presently known proposal, a bottle for red wine, port or another liquid which normally contains sediments is placed onto a rocker which is coupled to a crank by way of a spindle. By rotating the crank, the operator changes the inclination of the rocker and of the bottle to thus ensure gradual outflow of wine from the bottle while the sediment remains at the bottom of the partly or fully emptied bottle. A drawback of this conventional decanting apparatus is that it is bulky and that the glass or carafe which is to receive sediment-free liquid must be held by hand. Moreover, the manipulation of such apparatus necessitates much attention because the hand which holds the glass or carafe must ensure that the mouth of the carafe or the open top of the glass remains in proper position relative to the mouth of the bottle while the inclination of the bottle changes in response to manipulation of the crank. Thus, one hand must be used to manipulate the crank and the other hand must be used to maintain the carafe or the glass in requisite position relative to the bottle. Moreover, the decanting operation is even more time consuming than if the bottle were held by one hand while the carafe or the glass is grasped by the other hand.